In February 1992, I was “voluntold” to do a presentation at a local elementary school for Children’s Dental Health Month.
At the time, I was on active duty, stationed at Naval Hospital Long Beach. I was on the comeback trail, trying to improve my Navy career since, after an expensive and painful divorce, I had no choice but to stay in. My now-fiancé Barb was highly motivated, and this volunteer opportunity would look good in our upcoming evaluations.
I didn’t want to go.
I didn’t like being told what to do and I wasn’t comfortable speaking in front of people, especially a bunch of second graders.
Giving dental health presentations wasn’t hard. We did it practically at every patient appointment. At last, I decided to quit complaining and just lean into it. But I would do this thing MY way!
I figured the kids would appreciate a no-holds-barred look at dental health, so I came prepared.
We had some graphic photos of patients with oral cancer and severe gum disease. I had to pack those. Dental instruments are the things nightmares are made of. Those would be coming along too. I even brought that long needle they use to numb you up.
Barb and I wore our dress blue uniforms and drove to the school. The teacher greeted us, and we set up our stuff. This was long before every presentation got destroyed by PowerPoint. I put the graphic pictures up facing away until I was ready for the BIG REVEAL.
The teacher introduced us, and the kids said together:
“Welcome Petty Officer Munro and Petty Officer Moeller!” (Moeller is the perfect last name for a dental assistant, isn’t it? It was Barb’s last name at the time).
Barb started in very formally and then passed the baton on to me.
“Good morning, everyone!” I said.
The kids replied and then I asked them how many of them brush their teeth.
Every hand went up.
“Who can tell me what happens when you don’t brush your teeth?” I asked.
The room was silent.
So, I just told them. And I left no detail unmentioned.
I told them that everyone has a slimy film on their teeth called plaque. That plaque mixes with the sugars in your food and becomes an acid. When the acid gets bad enough, it eats holes in your teeth, called cavities. When that happens, you must fix the cavity.
“Who has ever seen what a cavity looks like?”
Silence.
I showed a few of the graphic photos. The little girls cringed. The little boys said “ooooooooh.”
The I asked, “Who knows how cavities get fixed?”
It was silent.
So, I took them through the process.
First of all, you have to numb up the area so you won’t feel any pain. I passed around the long needle (it was sheathed) and told them the dentist would give them a shot in their mouth. They squirmed.
Then I told them they used a drill to clean out the cavity. I passed a handpiece around with the drill bit in it.
The cavity then must be prepped, so I passed around the sharp excavators used to carve and smooth out enamel and dentin.
Of course you must fill it, so I passed around some containers we used to mix up the metal fillings they used to use in the old days.
We went through every stage. All displayed with words (my specialty), dental instruments, and pictures.
The final thing I said before Q&A was a question:
“Who would like to go to the dentist, get a shot in their mouth, and have someone drill holes in your teeth?”
The kids screamed a resounding “NOOOOOO!!”
I said “GOOD now let us teach you how to take care of your teeth so you don’t have to.”
Barb and I entertained lots of questions. Some of the kids wanted another look at the pictures. A few wanted another look at the dental instruments. They were enthusiastic. They had fun.
And do you know what? So did I!
Once I got going, the words, analogies, examples, graphic statements, and audience prompts all seemed to work. I had this very young audience wrapped around my finger.
I didn’t know then that someday I’d be doing workshops full time. And my style hasn’t changed. I still use shocking examples, graphic photos and video clips, and immersive storytelling. The formula is timeless and works for all ages and stages.
Have you ever dreaded something so much that you actually felt ill having to do it?
BUT, after having done the thing, you found you enjoyed it?
This was me. And this seemingly dreadful thing was an early clue to what my future would be. A good one that was and is fulfilling.
I wonder if that’s a healthy, useful way to view the things we’d rather avoid? Maybe the idea is we look at whatever potential gain comes from the thing.
This week, consider the difficult, uncomfortable things on your agenda. What’s the gift that might come from them? How awful are they really? How can I maximize the benefit.
And for me there might just be one more benefit to Children’s Dental Health Month.
Somewhere in Southern California, there might be a young person with a vibrant dental practice. When asked what inspired them to go to dental school, they mention a presentation years ago when they were in second grade. A man and lady sailor came in and showed gross pictures and they were hooked immediately.
Remember. The thing that makes you most uncomfortable to do might be the best thing for you. This week let’s all focus on saying YES and NO to the things we might ordinarily have a static answer for. Being out of our comfort zone is stressful, but I think that’s where life’s greatest gifts are discovered.